Just Another Day
by Argallel
Summary: An alternate path in "A Coffin That Small". What if Gabriella wasn't holding on so tightly when the ambulance was stolen? One-shot!


_I only started watching Chicago Fire last week, but managed to get through all the episodes to catch up for tonight's. That is how good the show is!_

_When I saw Gabriella in the ambulance as it was being stolen, I wondered, "Hey, what would happen if she wasn't holding on?" That was after I yelled at the producers for totally ignoring Newton's first law. She wouldn't have fallen back into the ambulance. She would have fallen out._

_Just sayin'._

* * *

"Hey, what's your name?" Gabriella Dawson bent over slightly as she cheerfully greeted the man that sat before her. He was overweight, but in these elements, anyone would be cold.

The man looked up at her drunkenly. "Philip," he said.

"Alright, let's get you up, Philip." Gabriella and her partner, Leslie Shay, each grabbed an arm of Philip's and helped him to his feet. "Come on, here we go." They pulled him up, but as they did, his jeans slid down his legs, revealing a completely bare bum. "Woah!"

"Philip!" Shay cried out, although she was not caught off guard. "That was not the full moon I was expecting to see today!"

They both laughed and kept encouraging him to go along. At this point, it was unclear whether the man was just drunk, or maybe stoned, but all that mattered was getting him out of the cold, windy day.

"Whew, keep your pants up," Shay almost giggled as they helped him towards the waiting ambulance.

"So," Gabriella said, turning to Shay as they headed the few feet to the ambulance. "Severide's little swimmers?" She grinned at her partner.

Shay hesitated only momentarily before she spoke her one word answer. "Yeah."

"And who's paying for this?" Gabriella asked, keeping one eye on Philip, who seemed out of it. She was skilled that way, able to be completely aware of what was happening, but still able to carry on a personal conversation at the same time.

Shay shook her head. "I don't know."

"You know," Gabriella said, looking down at the ground, "there is another, _cheaper_, alternative."

Shay blushed slightly. "Aw, come on." They reached the ambulance and stopped to let Gabriella climb in so she could assist Philip in getting in. Shay avoided looking directly at Gabriella as she did this.

Gabriella grabbed hold of the inside of the ambulance and swung herself in. "What? I'm just saying, nature's already worked out these details." She gave Shay a cocky smile.

Shay just looked back at the ground, trying not to blush even more as she readied Philip to climb into the ambulance.

"Come on," Gabriella extended her arm towards the pair. But before she could get a hold on Philip, the ambulance lurched. It was as if someone had suddenly thrust it forwards. Gabriella dimly heard the engine roar to life as she lost her grip.

"Gabbie!"

Gabriella could feel herself falling. It almost felt like she was near a black hole; time had slowed and there was no gravity. If she knew physics, she might have even described it as Newton's first law. But to her, there was no real time for thoughts, plans, or even panic. Time may have felt slow, but it went all too fast.

She hit the ground, or at least she assumed it was the ground. It was the taste of gravel that did it. She thought she heard her name again, but did it matter? She couldn't remember. It was too dark.

* * *

Shay dropped Philip's arm and just froze. She'd heard that even if you were a paramedic, helping someone you know is the hardest. She'd heard it was devastating, and sometimes it felt like a small piece of your heart was ripped out when you saw them on the ground.

It sure felt like a piece of not only her heart had been ripped out but her soul as well. Gabbie, on the ground, blood forming a small halo around her beautiful face.

"Oh my God, Gabbie!" Finally, Shay felt the paramedic come back to her. She looked up helplessly as the ambulance squealed around the corner, tires smoking. Shay dropped to her knees and looked over her friend. "Hey, Gabbie, can you hear me?"

When there was no reply, Shay grabbed her radio. "I need another ambulance, now!" She reached down with one hand and pushed the hair out of Gabriella's eyes.

"An ambulance has been dispatched," the radio fuzzed.

Shay pushed the speak button again. "Someone stole the ambulance and knocked my partner out. Call the police." She let go of the radio and put two, gloved fingers onto Gabriella's neck. "Come on, sweetie," she whispered. She was rewarded with a study, slightly fast, pulse.

"It's bad, it's bad." Philip started to wander away from the pair, his drunken mind not quite comprehending the severity of the situation.

"Hey, Dawson, can you hear me?" Shay looked around helplessly, wishing she had taken her bag with her out of the ambulance. At least then she could do something.

Gabriella stirred slightly, catching Shay's attention. She opened one eye slowly, inhaling sharply as light pierced her eye. "Shay?"

"Dawson!" Shay leant down and hugged her partner. "The hell was that for? You scared me!" She wiped away some of the blood that was trickling down Gabriella's face. "But seriously, you okay? I don't want you to be all superhero, then suddenly die on me."

Gabriella waved Shay away. "I'm fine. Help me up, would you?"

"Sitting, not standing."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "I'm _fine._" She pushed up against the ground with one arm and let Shay take the other, pulling herself into a sitting position. "See? Nothing to it!"

"Yeah, you're shakiness begs to differ," Shay said, her eyes narrowing. "Come on, I want to find where exactly you're bleeding from." She put her hand on Dawson's head and began to palpate slightly. "Does it hurt anywhere?"

Gabriella winced. "I just fell out of a vehicle, Shay, and landed on the ground. Of course it hurts." She sighed when she saw Shay's hurt face. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

"Here we go," Shay said, ignoring Gabriella's rudeness. "It's not too deep." Her eyes narrowed. "It's just superficial. Maybe a couple of stiches, but you'll be fine."

Gabriella sighed again. "Who the hell would steal our ambulance?"

"Don't know." She twisted her mouth. "Whoever it is, I'll set Severide on them."

Together, they laughed away their anxieties as the sirens could be heard.


End file.
